Back to results
US 10,099,079 B2Granted
Fire hydrant operating nut and method for lubricating the operating nut
AssigneeSigelock Systems, L.L.C.
InventorGeorge Sigelakis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for delivering water through a fire hydrant is disclosed and includes unlocking a sprinkler cap control lock on the fire hydrant, removing the sprinkler cap control lock to access an operating nut of the fire hydrant and activating the operating nut to deliver water through a plurality of sprinkler ports in at least one of a plurality of caps on the fire hydrant. Also disclosed are fire hydrant with a lubricant channel and a method of lubricating a fire hydrant operation nut. Also disclosed is a fire hydrant that does not need a lubricant disposed between the operation nut and the fire hydrant body due to an operating nut sleeve being disposed between the operation nut and the fire hydrant body.
Claims21
A fire hydrant comprising:
- a fire hydrant body;
- an operating nut coupled to an operating stem, the operating nut including:
- a lubricant port centrally disposed in a top of the operating nut;
- a top chamber forming a housing around an end of the operating stem, the housing defined between an interior surface of the operating nut and the end of the operating stem, the top chamber having a non-threaded portion extending past a first portion of a plurality of threads on the operating stem such that a gap remains between an interior surface of the top chamber and the first portion of the plurality threads on the operating stem;
- and
- one or more side ports in fluid communication with the top chamber and a lubricant channel between the operating nut and the fire hydrant body;
- a first seal and a second seal between the operating nut and the fire hydrant body, the first seal defining an upper boundary to the lubricant channel and the second seal defining a lower boundary to the lubricant channel;
- and
- a locking cap mounted on the fire hydrant body, a portion of the locking cap being disposed over the operating nut such that the locking cap prevents access to the lubricant port in the operating nut.
6 more elements
A fire hydrant comprising:
- a fire hydrant body;
- an operating nut coupled to an operating stem, the operating nut including:
- a lubricant port centrally disposed in a top of the operating nut;
- a top chamber forming a housing around an end of the operating stem, the housing defined between an interior surface of the operating nut and the end of the operating stem, the top chamber having a non-threaded portion extending past a first portion of a plurality of threads on the operating stem such that a gap remains between an interior surface of the top chamber and the first portion of the plurality threads on the operating stem;
- and
- one or more side ports in fluid communication with the top chamber and a lubricant channel between the operating nut and the fire hydrant body;
- an operating nut sleeve disposed between the operating nut and the fire hydrant body, wherein the operating nut sleeve is formed from a resilient material from one of a group consisting of an acetal polyoxymethylene copolymer, a polyethylene oxide, a poly-dimethyl acetal resin, and an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, the operating nut sleeve acting as a lubricant between the operating nut and the fire hydrant body, wherein at least one of the side ports forms a fluid communication channel to the operating nut sleeve to provide lubricant from the top chamber to the operating nut sleeve;
- and
- a locking cap mounted on the fire hydrant body, a portion of the locking cap being disposed over the operating nut such that the locking cap prevents access to the lubricant port in the operating nut.
6 more elements
A fire hydrant comprising:
- a fire hydrant body having a head that defines a hollow interior, the head including:
- a main outlet port;
- an auxiliary outlet port;
- and
- a valve access hole,
- an outer surface of the head being configured to define a main cap recess that surrounds the main outlet port, an auxiliary cap recess that surrounds the auxiliary outlet port, and a valve access channel that extends between the main cap recess and the valve access hole, and the head further having an internal channel defined therein, the internal channel extending between the main cap recess and the auxiliary cap recess, a plunger assembly being disposed within the internal channel such that the locking cap installed on the main outlet port compresses the plunger assembly into the internal channel to cause the plunger assembly to extend into the auxiliary cap recess and thereby engage a latching mechanism in an auxiliary cap installed in the auxiliary access port;
- an operating nut coupled to an operating stem, the operating nut including:
- a lubricant port centrally disposed in a top of the operating nut;
- a top chamber forming a housing around an end of the operating stem, the housing defined between an interior surface of the operating nut and the end of the operating stem, the top chamber having a non-threaded portion extending past a first portion of a plurality of threads on the operating stem such that a gap remains between an interior surface of the top chamber and the first portion of the plurality threads on the operating stem;
- and
- one or more side ports in fluid communication with the top chamber and a lubricant channel between the operating nut and the fire hydrant body;
- and
- a locking cap mounted on the fire hydrant body, a portion of the locking cap being disposed over the operating nut such that the locking cap prevents access to the lubricant port in the operating nut.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.